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Thread: HP Proliant Microserver

  1. #1

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    HP Proliant Microserver

    Just thinking of bagging one of this for experimental and learning use.

    If any users here has one what setup/OS are folk running on it?

  2. #2

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    I have two, one fully loaded as an ESXi box (part of a vSphere test lab) running a couple of servers including UberVSA (mainly used for iSCSI testing and messing around with virtualized storage etc..), and the second I've used as a replacement to my primary NAS running openmediavault (looking to possibly change the OS though).

    Great bargain if your quick enough to get the £100 cashback.

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    Sicilian (28-03-12)

  4. #3

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    A couple of links

    Code:
    http://www.ebuyer.com/281915-hp-proliant-turion-ii-n40l-microserver-100-cashback-658553-421
    
    http://www.serversplus.com/microserver_cashback
    And make sure you have a good read here about the modified firmware if you want to completely fill the device with disks:

    Code:
    http://www.avforums.com/forums/networking-nas/1521657-hp-n36l-microserver-updated-ahci-bios-support.html
    REMEMBER!!!!!!

    Cashback is only for this month unless they extend it again (they do keep doing it, so who knows when it'll end).

    Product must have been invoiced between 1st November 2011 and 31st March 2012
    All submissions must be received by Monday 30th April
    Last edited by tsx; 28-03-12 at 11:54. Reason: Extra info

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    ive been reading about and most people prefer to use windows home server 2011.

    What's the easiest way of setting up raid5 on this. My windows knowledge is poor.

  7. #5

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    For RAID5, I believe you have two options:

    1) Software RAID
    2) purchase a half-height H/W RAID card. IIRC a few are mentioned in the forum link above

  8. #6

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    Im looking to do Software Raid. Can this be done directly in WHS 2011 easily?

  9. #7

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    I've got to be honest, I've never used WHS, so I have no idea if its any different than any than something like 2008R2, sorry.

  10. #8

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    WHS 2011 is based upon 2008 R2 and indeed reports itself as 2008 R2 for compatability.
    I have mine fitted with 8GB RAM, 4 3TB drives plus the 250Gb drive that it is supplied with for the OS and have recently fitted it with a GT430 GFX, Im running Windows Home Server 2011, with Flexraid setup as a drive pool and Snapshot Raid config, the Flexraid setup is far superior to the Raid 5 you are contemplating.
    It does require a custom BIOS to be flashed to enable full SATA on the ODD port (where most people put the OS drive) but no big deal to sort it out.
    Its a great little server for the money IMO especially if you can get the £100 cashback
    Last edited by Maxwell; 30-03-12 at 07:58.

  11. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxwell4321 View Post
    WHS 2011 is based upon 2008 R2 and indeed reports itself as 2008 R2 for compatability.
    I have mine fitted with 8GB RAM, 4 3TB drives plus the 250Gb drive that it is supplied with for the OS and have recently fitted it with a GT430 GFX, Im running Windows Home Server 2011, with Flexraid setup as a drive pool and Snapshot Raid config, the Flexraid setup is far superior to the Raid 5 you are contemplating.
    It does require a custom BIOS to be flashed to enable full SATA on the ODD port (where most people put the OS drive) but no big deal to sort it out.
    Its a great little server for the money IMO especially if you can get the £100 cashback
    I was looking at Flexraid but got a bit lost reading it's documentation. Is there any documentation you followed to set your setup using Flexraid?

    Also as using WHS 2011; do you require to run any anti-virus software on the O/S?

    Lastly, which is the custom BIOS that you require to be flashed on the N40?

    Thanks

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    Flexraid is quite easy to setup as they have built in a "one touch setup" for combined drive pooling and RAID this then leaves you with just having to setup your shares, whilst there are many things you can do with Flexraid for a simple setup as you propose it is very easy to do. there are a couple of tutorials on the Flexraid forum that make it quite painless, I will find you some links later to look at.
    WHS 2011 is quite locked down as standard and I dont use an anti virus
    Will dig out a link to the custom BIOS for you later.

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  14. #11

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    BIOS info here, I used the file from post#6
    Code:
    http://www.avforums.com/forums/networking-nas/1521657-hp-n36l-microserver-updated-ahci-bios-support.html
    Start here with Flexraid, the info I had in the forum appears to now have been included in the wiki.
    Code:
    http://wiki.flexraid.com/category/beginners-guides/

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    Thanks for your help Maxwell! :-)

    Just a side note if other people get this and want to use the optical drive by to mount a 3.5 HDD inside. I bought these brackets of eBuyer to secure it in place:
    http://www.ebuyer.com/124153-startec...ket-uk-bracket

    I'm looking to run sabnzbd/sickbeard/couchpotato and AirVideo on the Microserver. So should be fairly simple to achieve using WHS 2011.

    Now need to think if I should run A/V or not. Maybe a free download of Microsoft Security Essentials...

  17. #13

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    Maxwell - Im just reading up about Flexraid setup.

    I have 2 x 2tb disks and 2 x 1tb disks. Any recommendations on how I would go on about to set my storage pools as?

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    You would have to use one of the 2TB drives as your parity drive and pool the other 3

  19. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxwell4321 View Post
    You would have to use one of the 2TB drives as your parity drive and pool the other 3
    So am I correct in saying that would give me total of 4TB to use?

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